Toyota 2000GT EV Conversion Is Solar-Powered Sacrilege

A team of Japanese engineers has done the unthinkable and unforgivable: taken a mint condition 1967 Toyota 2000GT and turned it into a solar-powered EV.

Yes, that 2000GT. The one that proved Japan could build supercars. The one in the Bond film, the one that routinely sells for more than the median home price in Boston. It was the Lexus LF-A of its day, only with more soul.

We love electric vehicles, and we love solar cars. But you don't just paint over a Rivera or tear down the Palast Der Republik just because they're representative of an outdated or failed ideology. The loss of a pristine 2000GT is even more upsetting because it's a hidden gem of a golden era, a relative historical footnote alongside flashier Ferraris and muscle-bound Mustangs.

It's with a heavy heart that we present the Toyota 2000GT SEV "Crazy Car Project." If you're a fan of the new Penn Station or think Bamiyan looks better without those Buddhas, have a look.

The Before Picture

It's a distant memory now, but Japanese cars of the 1960s were tinny, small and cheap. That all changed with the Toyota 2000GT, the first supercar from a Japanese manufacturer. Built as a partnership by Toyota and Yamaha, the cars featured five-speed manual transmissions and the first four-wheel disc brake setup on a Japanese car.

Though it's widely speculated that Toyota built the cars as loss leaders to prove its technological expertise, the cars sold for far more than contemporary Porsches and Jaguars. In a review, Road & Track favorably compared the 2000GT to the Porsche 911, high praise indeed.The 2000GT also was as rare as any Italian supercar: Just 337 were built, including two special open-roof cars for the James Bond film You Only Live Twice.

Corporate Culture Shock

The conversion team — called the "Crazy Car Project" — was comprised of engineers from such companies as Panasonic, Denso and Aisin. Toyota was heavily involved with the destruction of its own history, which is akin to ancient warriors defacing statues of themselves.

From 31 MPG to Pure Solar EV

The original 2000GT was remarkably efficient. The lightweight (less than 2,500 pounds) aluminum car featured a 2.0-liter straight six good for 150 horsepower. It could deliver 31 mpg — and reach a top speed of 135 mph.

That wasn't good enough for the Crazy Car Project team, however, which installed a solar panel on the hood and lithium-ion batteries and an electric motor within the car's gorgeous bodywork.

The team didn't provide any further specs on the EV drivetrain. Yes, we asked.

New Shoes

The group spent half a year converting the 2000GT to an EV. During the process, it not only ditched the internal combustion engine, but also painted the exterior and swapped out the wheels and tires.

Interior Decorating

Even the inside of the 2000GT was remade. Where it once featured a cockpit considered high-end for the late '60s — including lots of leather, an auto-tuning radio, rosewood dashboard and beautiful mahogany steering wheel — the solarized Toyota got Alcantara upholstery and seven all-new EV-specific gauges.

New Look, New Sound

Most electric vehicles are all but silent, emitting little more than tire noise and the hum of an electric motor. But the team working on this 2000GT couldn't let it pass in dignified silence. In keeping with the "Crazy Car" theme, engineers wired it to play recordings of a revving engine, accelerating airplane, rocket on liftoff or galloping horse.

Galloping horse?

What's My Name?

Customized labeling adorns the converted 2000GT. Logos on the door sills light up when the car is turned on.

Two Weeks To Charge

Amazingly, there's no plug on this EV. The only way to charge it is through the solar panel on the hood, a process that takes up to two weeks. At least we know the new owners won't be putting many miles on the car.

Divided Opinion

The end result has drawn mixed reactions, according to project spokeswoman Anna Kihara.

"We've gotten opinions on the different ends of the spectrum," Kihara said. "Some people didn't like the idea, but there are many positive opinions like, 'This conversion is appropriate for a 2000GT' [or] 'This is [a] fusion of tradition and leading-edge technology."